Former ATP pro Sam Querrey has raised concerns about Holger Rune’s timeline for returning from a “terrible” Achilles injury. The Danish star, who recently underwent surgery, is expected to be sidelined for an extended period as he begins the long road to recovery.
A few days ago, during the Stockholm Open semifinal, Rune suffered a severe Achilles tendon injury in his left leg. He immediately hobbled to his bench in pain and was treated by the physio while visibly distressed. Despite leading and being on course for victory, Rune was forced to retire mid-match. He was heard telling the physio that he had heard a “pop” in his Achilles—a telltale sign of serious damage.
The worst fears were later confirmed when his mother, Aneke Rune, revealed that the injury would require surgery.
### Sam Querrey on Rune’s Recovery
Speaking about the injury and what lies ahead during the *Nothing Major* Podcast, Sam Querrey shared insights from his personal experience with rehabilitation. At 16:20 in the podcast, Querrey said:
“I think about it a little bit, but I did rehab on mine. I probably did 70% of what Holger will do, you know? I was retired. I wasn’t super, super diligent with the rehab and getting back as fast as I could because what am I going to get back to? Record a podcast with you guys? It’s not like I was getting back out there.”
Querrey further explained that while Rune might regain physical fitness within a year, mentally returning to full confidence could take longer:
“So, I hope he gets to that spot. But like you said, Jack, even though he’s back in a year, it might take him two years before mentally he’s like, ‘Okay, I have zero hesitation to push off in any direction.’ But yeah, terrible.”
The 22-year-old recently underwent surgery and is now expected to return to the court in the latter half of 2026.
—
### Holger Rune’s Mother Criticizes ATP Schedule and Mandatory Tournaments Rule
Holger Rune’s mother, Aneke Rune, has strongly criticized the ATP Tour’s demanding schedule after her son suffered a torn Achilles tendon during the Stockholm Open semifinal.
Speaking to Danish outlet B.T., Aneke highlighted that players face “too many mandatory tournaments” with insufficient rest periods. She said, “The players simply do not have time to recover properly throughout the season.”
The ATP requires players to compete in the four Grand Slams, eight Masters 1000 events, and several ATP 500 and 250 tournaments to maintain rankings and prize eligibility—a setup Aneke called “unreasonable.”
She also criticized the ATP’s bonus pool system, suggesting:
“If you want to make financial reductions, do it as a percentage in relation to the amount they have played and reported cancellations. Instead of robbing them of everything.”
Aneke described Holger Rune’s injury as “a result of fatigue” and urged the ATP to prioritize player well-being. She called for immediate changes to protect athletes from burnout.
—
**About the Author**
Aliasgar Ayaz is an Economics Honours graduate with a Master’s in Sports Management from IISM, Mumbai. A passionate sports enthusiast and content writer since 2019, he currently specializes in tennis content for Sportskeeda.
*Edited by Aliasgar Ayaz*
https://www.sportskeeda.com/tennis/news-it-might-take-2-years-ex-american-pro-sends-ominous-message-holger-rune-s-mental-recovery-terrible-season-ending-injury
